High Impact eAdvocacyHigh Impact eAdvocacy

Email NewslettersEmail Newslettersfor Organizationsfor Organizations

These training materials have been prepared by Aspiration and Radical DesignsThese training materials have been prepared by Aspiration and Radical Designs

These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5

Why Use an Email Blaster?Why Use an Email Blaster?►Legitimacy (vs. Spam)Legitimacy (vs. Spam)

BCCing more than a few BCCing more than a few dozen people = Spamdozen people = Spam

• Spam black-lists are Spam black-lists are hard to get offhard to get off

• Spam black-lists Spam black-lists affect the entire affect the entire domaindomain

►List ManagementList Management Automatic subscribe and Automatic subscribe and

unsubscribeunsubscribe

Why Use an Email Blaster?Why Use an Email Blaster?

►Professional AppearanceProfessional Appearance (Relatively) easy email (Relatively) easy email

design tools without design tools without needing to know HTMLneeding to know HTML

►AnalyticsAnalytics Information about what Information about what

happened after you sent happened after you sent the emailthe email

Which Email Blasting Tool Which Email Blasting Tool Should I use?Should I use?

Blasting Service Cost Considerations

Vertical ResponseFree for nonprofits. Cost staggered starting at $8.50/month for 0-500 emails

Email editor can be quirky; Salesforce integration

Mail ChimpAnyone: Free up to 2,000 list members & 12,000 emails/month

Beautiful User Interface; Sometimes tries to be smarter than you

Constant ContactCost: Staggered starting at $12.75/month for 0-500 emails

Has highest spam rating; Drupal integration

EmailNow For Nonprofits: Setup fee: $49Monthly fee: $29.95 for 20,000 emails

Best value for larger lists

Email Blasting ConsiderationsEmail Blasting Considerations

►Can take a large amount of time to constructCan take a large amount of time to construct►Consistent pace is key Consistent pace is key ►1998 HTML knowledge is very helpful1998 HTML knowledge is very helpful►Make sure that you have a goal to determine Make sure that you have a goal to determine

whether your rate of email blasting is worth whether your rate of email blasting is worth the effortthe effort

Email CompositionEmail Composition

►Key premise: you have minimal time to Key premise: you have minimal time to engage readerengage reader Key message should be stated up frontKey message should be stated up front

►Think in terms of Subject line and 3 main Think in terms of Subject line and 3 main pointspoints State the problemState the problem State your solutionState your solution State ways to get involved State ways to get involved

Doing “The Ask”Doing “The Ask”

►““The Ask” refers to what action you want The Ask” refers to what action you want your recipients to takeyour recipients to take

►Make it easy to see “The Ask”Make it easy to see “The Ask” Make The Ask specificMake The Ask specific

Repeat The Ask several times in different placesRepeat The Ask several times in different places

Use a sidebar and graphics to highlight The AskUse a sidebar and graphics to highlight The Ask Give multiple options and methods for people to take Give multiple options and methods for people to take

action and participateaction and participate

Email CompositionEmail Composition►Design for Clear MessagingDesign for Clear Messaging

Know what you want your user to learn and doKnow what you want your user to learn and do

►Keep Tone Casual and PersonalKeep Tone Casual and Personal Model as “friend talking with a friend”Model as “friend talking with a friend”

►Design for SkimmingDesign for Skimming Subject line is criticalSubject line is critical Information should be easily accessibleInformation should be easily accessible

►Know The Art of “The Ask”Know The Art of “The Ask”

The Ask in the text

AskPulled

Out

The Ask repeated

Action

Message CompositionMessage Composition

►NewsletterNewsletter Keep it well-sectionedKeep it well-sectioned

Always include a table of contentsAlways include a table of contents

Employ short introductionsEmploy short introductions With links to full articlesWith links to full articles

Maintain regular delivery scheduleMaintain regular delivery schedule Create expectations on the part of recipientsCreate expectations on the part of recipients

Sets Delivery

Expectations

Social Media Links

AdditionalContent

Index of Content

FullContent

BoldedPurpose

Time &Location

RSVP

SummarySummary

► Use an email blaster for legitimacyUse an email blaster for legitimacy► Design for skimmingDesign for skimming► The art of “The Ask” is centralThe art of “The Ask” is central► Email templates streamline and standardizeEmail templates streamline and standardize

End Of SectionEnd Of Section

►Questions? Questions? ►Comments?Comments?

These training materials have been prepared by Aspiration in partnership with Radical DesignsThese training materials have been prepared by Aspiration in partnership with Radical Designs

Funded by the ZeroDivide FoundationFunded by the ZeroDivide Foundation

These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0